Holding device.



T. J. WILLIAMS.

HOLDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION $11.21) NOV.14, 1908.

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Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

I V V .fl. w wl l'nmmllllf alum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. WILLIAMS, 0]? WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HOLDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 14, 1908. Serial No. 462,682.

. for fire engine houses or the like, where it is necessary that theanimal may be quickly released from the stall when occasion for suchrelease arises, and the invention has particularly in view anautomatically operated device for releasing the halter chain from thestall and an automatically operating device for releasing said chainfrom the halter, so that the animal will beentirely free to run to theengine or the like ready for the harnessing.

In carrying out the objects of the invention generally stated above itwill, of course be readily understood that the essential featuresthereof aresusceptible of changes in details and structuralarrangements, a prefer'red and practical embodiment of'w'hich is shownin the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a stall showing the practical application of the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail side View of the halter catch and aportion of the halter chain and catch operating chain or cable. Fig. 3is a similar view of the catch,

the same being shown in its released position, the chain connectionswith the stall being omitted. Fig. 4 is an edge View thereof. Fig. 5 isa central vertical sectional view taken on the line 55, Fig. 4. Fig. 6is a detail sectional view of one of the links of the halter chain, thehalter releasing chain being indicated in dotted lines to show itsrelative position to said link.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to said drawings, 1 designatesv a portion of one side of thecommon form of stall used in engine houses, patrol and ambulancestables, or the like, and which has secured thereon a substantiallyrectangularly shaped .frame 2 provided with a vertically arrangedcentrally located division 'bar 3 forming a support for a horizontallyarranged slide rod 4 which also has a slidable engagement with one endof said frame, and

between said end and said division a coiled spring 5 is carried by saidslide rod the l tension of which resists a horizontal move-- PatentedAug. 15, l9l1.

ment of the slide rod in one direction. The

portion of said rod that is normally in the other end portion of saidframe is provided with a shoulder G, and beyond said shoulder 6, an endring 7 carried by a halter chain 8, is mounted on said slide rod.Normally the described mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1 ofthe accompanying drawings, the slide rod being connected by means of acable 9 with suitable mechanism for imparting a pull thereon when analarm is sounded.

It will be seen that a pull on said cable 9 will move said slide rodhorizontally to" withdraw it from the portion of said frame in which theend of the chain is being supported, with the result that said rod isdisengaged from said chain, and the latter drops from the frame. Theother end of '.said chain 8 is riveted or otherwise permanently securedto a- Hat plate 10, the other end of which is provided with outstandingside pivot cars 11' for thereception of pivot pins 12 which engage withpivot cars 13 of oppositely disposed hooks 14 the outer or ends 15 ofwhich are preferably incurved and project beyond the end of said plateand have their extreme ends squared off so that when said ends arebrought together, as will be presently described, they will have astralght meeting edge. The rear legs 16 of said hooks have their inneredges inclined rearwardly and outwardly so that awedging plate 17 mayforce said legs apart to'cause the hook ends to be brought together.Said wedging plate has a forward slot- 18 arranged longitudinally andcentrally therethrough for the reception of a guide pin or lug 19carried by the plate 10. Therear portion of said wedging plate is alsoprovided with a centrally located longitudinally arranged slot 20 whichis preferably considerably longer than the forwardslot 18 with which itis in alinement, and said slot 20 is engaged by 'a. headed pin or lug 21carried by the plate 10, said pin 21 and the pin 18 serving to guidesaid wedging plate in its forward and rearward movements relatively tothe plate 10. An elongated recess 22 is formed in the plate 10 directlybe neath the opening 20 in the wedging'plate, one end of the slot 20 isprovided with a pocket 23 which receives one end of a spiral spring 24that lies in said recess 22, the other end of said spring being heldbeneath the head of the pin 21. The spring 24 pro- I Fig. 1.

It has been found that often the connections between the halterreleasing device and the stall are damaged and rendered inoperative onaccount of the constant chafing of the same against the side of thestall. and also on account of the horse cribbing the same. To overcomethis objection it is proposed using a halter chain. the links of whichare constructed so that they will provide both a guide and a protectingcover for the chain or cable that automatically releases the halterchain from the halter. The details of said chain links are shown moreclearly in Figs. 2 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. and by referencethereto it will be observed that each link has a concaved end 26 and aconvexed end 27, having openings 28-29 formed through them which are inalinement. Said concaved and convexed ends present rounded wearingsurfaces and when said links are together, they form a ball and socketconnection between the links. so that a halter releasing chain or cable30 may be extended entirely through all the links of the chain, and bethoroughly protected thereby. One end of said chain or cable 30 isconnected to the side vof the stall adjacent to the frame to which theend of the halter cable is releasably connected. the other end of saidchain or cable 30. after passing through the halter chain, beingattached to an outstanding ear 31 carried by thewedging plate. Saidchain or cable 30 is preferably slightly longer than the halter chain,so that when the halter chain is auto matically released from the stallreleasing frame, the pull exerted by the animal starting forward willfirst be imparted to said halter chain to cause it to drop from saidframe, after which the pull will be exerted on the chain or cable30which draws the wedging plate from between the legs of the catch hook.whereupon a. slight pressure on said hooks by the outward pull of thehalter ring thereon. will cause said hooks to open and release the saidhalter 'ring.

it will be understood from the foregoing that the improved releasingdevice is one that can"'be readily installed and cheaply constructed.and owing to its automatic operation. it is especially adapted forplaces where there is a necessity of a quick and automatic release ofthe animals.

Claims 1. A device of the character described comprising a supportingplate. gripping jaws pivoted upon one end of said plate and eachprovided with an inwardly projecting leg. a wedge-shaped spring pressedmember slidable upon said plate and normally retained between said legsto hold the jaws in closed "position, means whereby said member may beremoved from between said legs, said member being adapted to return tonormal position when released. and guide means for said member.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting plate.gripping jaws pivoted to one end of said plate and each provided with arearwardly projecting leg. a wedge-shaped member slidably supportedbetween said legs. spring means normally holding said wedge-shapedmember between said legs to hold the jaws in closed relation. and meanswhereby said member may be removed from between said legs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence. of twowitnesses.

THOMAS J. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses J. STEWART RICE, J. W. VVELLs.

Gopies of this vatent may be obtained for five cents aeh, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

